Comments 0

Document transcript

APRIL 3-6, 2010 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (213) 250-9797ADatelineUSaof last tally.Tightened security in Mind-anaoIn Mindanao, Comelec region-al director lawyer Helen Aguila-Flores said police and militaryforces will tighten security prep-arations in Zamboanga, Basilan,Sulu and Tawi-Tawi in relation tothe expected arrival of the PCOSmachines and their distributionin the region this April.“The police and military havealready prepared the security forthe machines and the electionperiod itself,” she said, addingthat 2,979 PCOS machines areexpected to be deployed in Zam-boanga peninsula.Lawyer Vidzfar Julie, deputyregional Comelec director for theAutonomous Region in MuslimMindanao (ARMM), said theyare also expecting the PCOS ma-chines to arrive.The two election officials saidthe tight security preparationis needed to safeguard the ma-chines, citing the situation insome areas in the region in theprevious election.Flores said the police and mili-tary, in coordination with Smart-matic, have already mapped outthe security and deployment ar-rangement for the machines toavert any sabotage.She said they have consideredall the important matters in thedeployment of the PCOS ma-chines, including physical acces-sibility.She said the police or theArmed Forces will assist in areasnot accessible by normal trans-portation and areas difficult topenetrate due to the presenceof insurgents or threat of armedgroups. nWrong ink used on…PAGE A2 tWASHINGTON – Shaking upyears of energy policy and hisown environmental backers,President Barack Obama threwopen a huge swath of East Coastwaters and other protected areasin the Gulf of Mexico and Alaskato drilling Wednesday, wideningthe politically explosive hunt formore homegrown oil and gas.Recharging debate, Obama expands offshore drillingbyBenFellerAssociated PressObama’s move allows drillingfrom Delaware to central Florida,plus the northern waters of Alas-ka, and exploration could begin50 miles off the coast of Virginiaby 2012. He also wants Congressto lift a drilling ban in the oil-richeastern Gulf of Mexico, 125 milesfrom Florida beaches.Still off limits: the entire Pa-cific seaboard. And in a nod toconservation, Obama canceledoil exploration in Alaska’s BristolBay, deeming the area a nationaltreasure.For this oil-dependent na-tion, the decision could start toreshape far-reaching economicand national security policies,affecting where the US gets thefuel for its cars, heating and en-ergy-gulping industry.For a president on a roll fol-lowing a big health care win,Wednesday’s drilling declara-tion was both aggressive andpragmatic. Even with a push forcleaner energy sources and effi-cient cars — and with promisesof protection for ecosystems andcoastal tourism — the nation stillneeds more oil, Obama said.“The answer is not drilling ev-erywhere all the time,” Obamasaid in an event at Andrews AirForce Base. “But the answer isnot, also, for us to ignore the factthat we are going to need vitalenergy sources to maintain oureconomic growth and our secu-rity.”Inside politically consciousWashington, Obama’s announce-ment was viewed, too, as a playto win Republican support for acomprehensive climate changebill. Obama needs GOP help tomove legislation through theSenate that would limit carbonemissions, a key priority, and hisdecision on drilling drew at leasta bit of Republican applause.Republican George W. Bushpushed for years to expand off-shore drilling. He and Congresslifted bans on some drilling in2008, when gasoline prices hitrecord levels. But Obama’s planis narrower than Bush’s, whichalso would have opened up oiland gas leasing areas off Califor-nia and in the North Atlantic.Obama got a predictable pum-meling Wednesday from envi-ronmentalists, who sarcasticallycompared him to Sarah Palin, theformer vice presidential candi-date whose oil-promoting speechuPAGE A8100403 - WE SEC A rev w/ads.indd6 64/1/10 5:19:47 PM